The invention refers to a link plate of an energy guide chain, a chain link of an energy guide chain, an energy guide chain, and an intermediate piece for an energy guide chain.
Energy guide chains are frequently used when a moveable component, especially a component which moves essentially on a predetermined track, is to be supplied, for example, with current, water, consumables or similar. In this case, the lines from a fixed point must be led to the component so that the movement of the component on its predetermined track is made possible without any damage to the lines.
The energy guide chain consists of chain links which are linked together in an articulated manner, where the energy guide chain is moved along a predetermined track. Here the lines in the energy guide chain are guided practically in a predetermined manner so that the lines are exposed to only a very slight wear, if any.
A chain link has two link plates which form the side boundaries of the chain link and at least transverse link which forms the upper and/or lower limit of the chain link. The chain links are designed so that a chain link can be joined to at least one neighboring chain link and/or to at least one end piece in order to thus form the energy guide chain. Mostly this linking is done through corresponding joining means, which are formed correspondingly in the neighboring link plates.
The link plate and transverse link can be made of one piece, for example, from a plastic, especially produced by injection molding, but it is also customary to form the transverse links and the link plates so that they can be joined together separably. A separable joint of the link plate with at least one transverse link has the advantage that access to the lines becomes easy so that inserting or taking out lines from the chain as well as possible access to the lines for maintenance purposes is easily possible.
Several possibilities are known in the state of the art for forming a separable joint between transverse link and link plate. For example, from WO 00/63586 A1 a lock-in connection is known to be used between transverse link and link plate which can be separated without the use of tools, manually. In the case of such a joint, unintended separation of the joint may occur easily.
An energy guide chain is known from WO 98/34040 A1 in which the transverse link has end sections for joining the transverse link to the link plate, which makes pivoting of the transverse link around pivoting axes in the two end sections possible.
An energy guide chain is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,432 in which always one transverse link per chain link is joined separably to the link plates. Here the joining to the two link plates is done with the aid of lock-in catches, each of which is always formed on the transverse links. The disadvantage here is that the widths of the chain links, that is, the length of the transverse links, must be known even already during the manufacture of the transverse links, since the locking catches have to be produced when forming the transverse links.
Based on the above, the task of the invention is to provide a link plate, a chain link, an energy guide chain and a fixing means for an energy guide chain which makes it possible to produce a separable joint between the transverse link and link plate in a simple manner which, in spite of this, is so solid that unintended opening of the joint is excluded.
For a simplified manner for producing a joint between a transverse link and a link plate for a chain link of an energy guide chain, it is proposed that the link plate have a fixing means which is suitable and intended for separable joining of the link plate to a transverse link. The fixing means has at least one locking means. Furthermore, at least one torsional element is provided. This is joined to the fixing means and a wall of the link plate so that it can be pivoted out essentially around a longitudinal axis of the link plate. At least for the release of a transverse link, the at least one torsional element is twisted essentially around a longitudinal axis of the link plate. Through this design of a link plate according to the invention, a safe and reliable joint between the link plate and the transverse link is made possible.
In a preferred embodiment of the link plate, the fixing element does not protrude beyond the edge of the link plate, so that unintended separation of a transverse link joined to the link plate is avoided. The safety can be increased further by making the top side of the transverse link essentially flush with the fixing element or having it lie above the fixing element. In such a design of the link plate, the fixing means preferably has an area for insertion of a tool, into which a tool, for example a screwdriver, can be inserted. Using the tool, through the fixing means a torsional moment is introduced into the torsional element. If the torsional moment is high enough, the fixing element will be pivoted so that the transverse link is released. Resetting of the fixing means into its rest position occurs automatically through the torsional element when the transverse link would be disassembled.
The useful cross-section of an energy guide chain is also determined by the distance of the link plates to one another. In order to design the useful cross-section of an energy guide chain as effectively as possible, according to an advantageous embodiment of the link plate it is proposed that the fixing means be arranged in a receptacle which extends at least from an inner wall in the direction of an outer wall of the link plate and that the fixing means be dimensioned so that the fixing means is integrated essentially completely in the receptacle. This is not absolutely necessary. It is also possible that at least one locking means is designed protruding from the inner wall. This is not critical when the locking means protrudes into the transverse link.
The receptacle in the wall of the link plate can be designed in the form of an opening. In the case of this design, the fixing means and the link plate are made from several pieces. The fixing means is preferably joined to the link plate non-separably. It has the corresponding fixing means which make it possible to attach the fixing means to the link plate in the receptacle. Here, for example, it can be barbed gaps, which cooperate with the correspondingly formed means on the fixing means. Specifically, it is proposed that torsional elements be provided on both sides of the fixing means which are designed correspondingly so that these torsional elements penetrate partially into the gap formed in the wall of the link plate. Having the link plate made of several pieces has the advantage that optionally different fixing means can be used depending on the purpose of application. Thus, for example, a type of a fixing means can be used for different link plates when these link plates have essentially identically formed receptacles. The joining of the fixing means to the receptacle can be done by positive and/or non-positive locking.
In order to avoid increased assembly expenditure, which occurs in handling link plates made of several pieces, according to a further advantageous embodiment of the link plate according to the invention, it is proposed that the fixing means and the link plate be made of one piece. Such a one-piece design is especially advantageous when the link plate is made from a plastic.
The wall and/or the at least one fixing means are preferably made of at least one plastic, at least one elastomeric plastic, a renewable raw material and/or metal. Thus, for example, it is possible to produce the wall and the fixing means from one or several plastics, while the at least one torsional element is made of a metal. Such a design is advantageous, especially when, in the case of relatively thin walls of the link plate, there is a danger that the torsional element might break.
Through WO 98/34050, a link plate is known which can be joined to a transverse link so that the transverse link is pivotable around a longitudinal axis of the link plate. This has the advantage that in the case of a chain link the transverse link can be separated from the link plate while maintaining the joint with the other link plate. As a result of this, it is ensured that the transverse link will not be lost. In order to avoid loss of a transverse link, according to a further advantageous embodiment of the link plate according to the invention, it is proposed that at least one pivoting axis receptacle be formed to hold a pivoting axis of a transverse link and/or of an intermediate piece. The pivoting axis receptacle and the fixing means represent functional units which are independent of one another, so that in the case of the link plate according to the invention, it is possible to join the link plate to transverse links, which are either pivotable or non-pivotable.
Transverse locking means are provided in order to prevent that the transverse link undergo a relative movement in the direction essentially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the link plate, in the case of joining the link plate with a transverse link With this measure, it is achieved, in the case of an energy guide chain which is built from chain links which have at least one link plate according to the invention, that during the operation of the energy guide chain this transverse link will not become separated from the link plate according to the invention.